Today, Santa Cruz Ventures initiated their first capital call with well over a dozen charter investors comprised of prominent business owners, CEOs, angels, technology leaders, and ex-startup founders all located in the Santa Cruz and Monterey counties.

The fund is broadly focused on planetary health to address some of the largest issues faced by humanity: the climate crisis, labor shortages, and health. The tri-counties of Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito, are uniquely focused on global issues as has been demonstrated by companies such as Joby Aviation, Zero Motorcycles, Future Motion / One Wheel, Santa Cruz Bicycles, Cruz Foam, the Human Genome Project, Climatize, and many more.

Santa Cruz Works asked lead partner, Alexi Sevastopoulos, about their fundraising journey and their decision to confine their efforts to the tri-counties:

Malina Long / Santa Cruz Works and Alexi Sevastopoulos / Santa Cruz Ventures

"The primary goal of our fund is to cultivate a genuine community that empowers dedicated, impact-focused entrepreneurs in the local area. By partnering with local investors, we're ensuring that it's truly a creation by the locals, for the locals. As the first traditional venture firm with this focus, we recognize that it will take time, particularly given our distinctive hometown approach. Given that the typical lifespan of a venture fund is 10 years, we're also committed to building trust in our expertise and proficiency in operating a fund and applying a rigorous decision-making framework for early-stage opportunities.

"Our investor collective has faith in our competence, drawing on our experience in both creating and managing a venture fund—this being our second such fund structured in this manner. Five years ago, my partner Morgan and I, along with a small team, designed and developed Santa Clara University's flagship venture accelerator. We gradually garnered support from veteran alumni, emphasizing its long-term importance and our unique SCU hometown touch, which eventually gained widespread acceptance. Just last month, we celebrated the graduation of our 5th annual cohort, comprising 27 teams, with over 600 investors attending their Demo Day. The associated $10 million early-stage venture fund we raised three years ago has made 15 investments so far and, despite economic challenges, is performing well.

"We understand the nuances of this journey. Fundraising isn’t merely about capital—it’s about mutual trust and shared values. We've secured approximately one-fifth of the total fund, attracted esteemed advisors and investors, and are just beginning to hit our stride."

Planetary health is a holistic concept that encompasses the health of human civilizations and the natural systems on which they depend. It's an interdisciplinary approach, bringing together various sectors to promote the well-being of our planet and its inhabitants which include industry sectors such as renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, clean transportation, water management, climate change mitigation, public health, marine conservation and fisheries, and more.

To participate in this fund or to learn more, contact Alexi through the Contact form at Santa Cruz Ventures.

Santa Cruz Ventures: Primed and Ready for Groundbreaking Investments